Believe it or not, I only recently started eating pork (I'm pretty sure that admitting to this may be sacreligious among foodies) due to my childhood aversion to the pig pen at a local farm in Stamford, Conn. This is a great recipe for people who, like myself, prefer pork with savory ingredients rather than sweet. Over a bed a garlicky escarole, with the earthiness of the Guinness and mushrooms, boneless pork chops are in their element.

Directions

For the pork chops:

Season both sides of the pork chops liberally with salt and pepper, set aside. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the pork chops to sear (about 2 minutes on each side, just until browned). Remove chops from the skillet and set aside. Add onions to the pan and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Then season with salt and pepper before adding the Guinness. When the beer begins to simmer, add the mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the potatoes in a layer at the bottom of the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture of mushrooms, onions, and Guinness on top of the potatoes, followed by the pork chops and two cups of water. Place the slow cooker on low for three hours.

For the escarole:

Rinse the escarole to get rid any dirt or grit and remove the core. Roughly chop or tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Boil one quart of salted water in a medium pot over high heat. Add the escarole and cook for 6-8 minutes, then transfer to a colander to drain. To the same pot, sauté the garlic cloves in the oil until lightly toasted. Return the escarole to the pot and cook until just combined. Serve immediately with the pork chops.